Tougher rules for unemployed

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The government has called for the introduction of tougher rules for the unemployed in a bid to get people to rejoin the labour market.

According to the new proposal, the current 100 day grace period for finding suitable employment in a job seeker's home region is to be removed. Instead people must be prepared to move or change professions from the day they become unemployed.

In another change, it will no longer be possible to seek an extension to claim unemployment benefits for over 300 days. The only exception is for people with children under the age of 18, who may receive benefits for up to 450 days.

If a person has not found work at the end of this period they will be covered by the government's 'job guarantee'.

Further details on how the job guarantee will work are to be presented this spring.

The government has said that there must be economic incentives encouraging unemployed people to leave the basic jobs covered by the guarantee. For this reason, payments will be reduced to 65 percent of previous income, or a minimum of 320 kronor per day.

Should they receive parliamentary approval. the changes are scheduled to come into force On July 2nd.